“Nigella, I presume?” I drawled.
She smiled. “And so the Beast speaks. Lovely. It’s so much more fun when your prey realizes exactly what’s happening to them.”
I held my arms out to my sides, letting them all get a good, long look at me, especially my teeth and talons. “You’re right. I am a beast. I am also the protector of this village. Leave now, and I will not harm you. Attack me or anyone else here, and I will slaughter you all.”
Nigella let out a light, pealing laugh. “You might look like a beast, but from what I’ve heard, you’re just a soft lady underneath. Why, I doubt you’ve ever killed anything larger than a fly, even in your beastly form.”
She was right about that, although I would never admit it. Doubt filled me, but I bared my teeth at her anyway. I might be a soft lady on the inside, but even soft ladies could be vicious creatures when backed into a corner. I had already faced down Eifert, and I would put this bandit in her place too.
“I gave you a warning,” I growled. “I will not give you another one.”
Nigella smiled again and drew her sword. The rest of the Razors perked up at the soft hiss of her blade sliding free of its scabbard, and several of them started twirling their own weapons around in their hands. I also drew my sword, my fur-covered fingers feeling clumsy, awkward, and sweaty against the cold silver hilt.
“Storm the castle!” she screamed. “The Beast is mine!”
Nigella raised her sword and charged at me. I snarled, lifted my own sword, and stepped up to meet her.
* * *
The Razors rushed past me, but I kept my gaze focused on Nigella. Good thing, since she almost took my head off with her first blow.
Not only did Nigella look like a warrior princess, but she was far more skilled with her sword than I was with mine, despite all the tutors and lessons I’d had over the years. Even if I’d still been in my human form, I doubted that I could have bested her. It was all I could do to dodge her blows and hang on to my own weapon.
“What’s the matter, Beast?” Nigella hissed. “Having trouble pretending you’re still a real girl instead of a monstrosity with teeth and talons?”
I jerked back, her words wounding me far more than Eifert’s insults ever had. Still, as the Razor queen whirled around for another strike, I considered her point. Nigella was right. I was a beast now, so I should fight like one.
I dropped my sword, which tumbled end over end along the bridge. Each ding-ding-ding of the metal hitting the flagstones rang out like a bell.
“Giving up already?” Nigella smiled at me again. “Don’t worry, Beast. Soon you’ll be too dead to care how hideous you look. Although I’ll do you one last favor—I’ll mount your head above one of the fireplaces so you can still look out and pretend this is your castle instead of mine.”
Anger sliced through me. I opened my mouth to respond to her taunt, but screams and shouts rose up behind me, and I glanced back over my shoulder instead. The Razors were right outside the open castle gates, along with the villagers, who were attacking the invaders with pitchforks, hammers, and other tools. Drury was at the front of the pack, still clutching his kitchen knife, which he stabbed into every Razor who came near him.
Seeing my friend in danger further enraged me, and I whirled back around to Nigella. “You will never take my head, my castle, or anything else from me!”
I launched myself at her. This time, I went on the offensive, swiping out with my talons and snapping out with my teeth. Nigella scrambled away, but she wasn’t quite quick enough to avoid all my strikes, and my talons ripped across her left shoulder. She screamed and staggered back, staring down at the blood soaking into her fuchsia jacket.
“What’s the matter?” I hissed. “Having trouble pretending you’re still a real girl instead of a murdering bully with a sword?”
Nigella screamed again and charged me, slashing her blade through the air. I dodged her blows and lashed out with my own.
The fight was more or less even, until I foolishly turned to the side, trying to see what was happening behind me and if Drury and the villagers were beating back the Razors. Nigella used my distraction to slip past my defenses and bury her blade in my left shoulder.
I howled like, well, like a wounded animal.
Nigella grinned and twisted the blade in even deeper before viciously yanking it out. “Your head, your castle, and your village will never be safe as long as I am alive.”
I could tell she meant every word, and I knew I couldn’t beat her. Not like this. Not with weapons, teeth, or talons. But my beastly form had always been tougher and stronger than my human one, and I knew it was stronger than Nigella’s body too.
So I surged forward and locked my arms around her waist, digging my talons into her back to hold her close and keep her from gutting me with her sword.
“What are you doing?” Nigella yelled, trying to twist away.
“Saving myself, my castle, and my village,” I snarled back.
Then I churned my legs, shoving us both toward the side of the bridge.
“No! Don’t! Stop!” Nigella screamed, still trying to twist away.
But it was too late, and I was too strong and much too determined. I churned my legs a final time, using all of my beastly strength to propel us forward.
Still locked together, Nigella and I tumbled over the side of the bridge.
* * *
One moment, I was hanging in midair, listening to Nigella shriek and watching the river rush up to meet us. The next moment, we both hit the water.
A loud, hard, sharp, sickening crack reverberated through my entire body, and for a few seconds, I thought I had broken every single bone I had. Then the river closed over me, cold and dark and further shocking my body. I opened my mouth to scream, but water rushed in, silencing my hurt, panicked cry.
That last, third shock roused me out of my stupefied state, and I clawed my arms and kicked my legs, desperately trying to get back up to the surface, even though water had filled my clothes and boots and was dragging me down, down, down. I clawed and kicked with all my might, but I suddenly felt much weaker than before, and I wasn’t moving with my usual strong, beastly ease. I growled with frustration, but once again the water muffled the sound.
Still, I kept clawing and kicking, and I finally broke through to the surface. I sucked down a giant gulp of air. Then another, then another, until my mind slowly realized that I wasn’t going to drown after all.
I glanced around. Thanks to the snow crusting the landscape, and the light from torches and candles blazing down from the castle above, I could see that I was in the middle of the river, slowly drifting south as the current pulled me along like a fishing lure skimming the surface of the water. I twisted around and around, but I didn’t see Nigella in the water or along the riverbanks. Either she had already been pulled farther downstream or she had drowned in the icy water. I hoped it was the latter.
Even though I was chilled, exhausted, and bleeding from the deep wound Nigella had punched into my shoulder, I slowly, awkwardly paddled through the water and over to the shore. Then I stood up in the mud and slogged my way over onto solid ground, leaving wet, dirty boot prints behind in the pristine snow. My teeth chattered, my breath frosted, and I hugged my arms around my chest in an attempt to stay warm, although it didn’t work.